Slidecraft



E. BRENTER April 1, 1969 SLIDECRAFT Filed Feb. 10, 1967 Erich Brenfer IN VE N TOR.

United States Patent 3,436,091 SLIDECRAFT Erich Brenter, Heide 163, Hallein, Austria Filed Feb. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 615,244 Claims priority, application Austria, Feb. 10, 1966, A 1,233/ 66 Int. Cl. B62b 13/04 U.S. Cl. 280-16 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE My present invention relates to a slidecraft or ski coaster comprising a frame to which a rear ski is hinged, a forward ski being hinged to the lower end of a control column or steering post which is removably and rotatably journaled in a depending forward leg of the frame and carries a handlebar.

With ski coasters made of wood, it is already known to provide the handlebar with a strap and to connect said strap by means of a bolt and a wing nut to the control column so that the handlebar can be removed, whereby a certain protection is afforded against the theft of the parked craft, and space is saved. The latter result is particularly desirable when the slidecraft is carried in the trunk of a motor vehicle or in a cabin of a cable car.

It is an object of the invention to facilitate the disassembly of a slidecraft which may consist of metal. This is accomplished in that the handlebar is mounted on a tubular extension of the control column telescopically connected therewith by releasable fastening means. To collapse the craft, the detached control column and the forward ski connected to it can be swung through 180 about an axis perpendicular to its longitudinal axis whereupon the control column can be reinserted into the forward leg of the frame in this reversed position.

In a preferred embodiment, the tubular steering-post extension carries a lateral, short nipple having a screwthreaded bore, an insert of the steering post being formed with a transverse bore aligned with the tapped bore of the nipple. A bolt is screwed into the tapped bore and has an inner end portion received in the transverse bore of the insert to connect the extension tube to the steering column. This arrangement results in a perfectly secure connection between these two parts which will not wear out and is easily releasable.

Advantageously, the bolt has a conically tapered shank terminating in a cylindrical tip, the bore of the insert being correspondingly shaped.

An embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically and by way of example in the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view showing the slidecraft in position for use;

FIG. 2 shows the knocked-down slidecraft with the handlebar removed; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the front end of the craft on an enlarged scale.

With reference to the drawing, a handlebar 1 above the level of a seat 16 is rigidly secured to a tube 2 telescopically receiving an upwardly projecting extremity of an inner tube 3. A short tubular boss or nipple 4 is welded to the rear side of the tube 2 and provided with 3,436,091 Patented Apr. 1, 1969 a tapped bore 5 which extends also through the wall of the tube 2. An insert 6 of plastic material is snugly fitted in the inner tube 3. A connecting bolt 8 is provided at its outer end with a handwheel 7 and adapted to be screwed into the nipple 4. The inner end portion of the bolt 8 is conical at 9 and terminates in a cylindrical tip 10. The insert 6 is provided with a tapered bore 11 ending in a cylindrical recess 12. The inner tube 3 constitutes a steering column and is rotatably mounted in a front leg 13 of an upwardly curved frame 14 supporting a seat. A forward ski 15 is hinged to the lower end of the inner tube 3.

When the tube 2, with the handlebar I mounted thereon, is slid over the control column 3 and the connecting bolt 6 is then screwed in by means of the handwheel 7,

the special slope of the shank 9 and of the tip 10 of the connecting bolt 8 coacting with the corresponding bore sections of the insert 6 ensures a firm connection between the tubes 2 and 3. This connection will withstand all stresses and can easily be released when desired. When the connection is released, the handlebar 1 and the tube 2 connected to it can be removed whereupon the inner tube 3, which constitutes the steering column, and the forward ski 15, which is hinged to the inner tube 3, can be pulled downwardly out of the front leg 13 of the frame 14. The tube 3 can then be swung through about an axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube 3 and can be inserted from above into the leg 13. The slidecraft can be transported Lll'lllCh more easily in this collapsed condition shown in FIG. 2, in which the front ski 15 overlies the drivers seat 16 above frame 14.

It will be noted that in the normal operating position, illustrated in FIG. 3, a radial flange 2' at the lower end of tube 2 engages a coextensive flange 13' at the upper end of frame portion 13 to help define the axial position of the steering post relative to the vehicle frame.

The front end of rear ski 17 is shown connected at 17' to the frame leg 13, as disclosed and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 615,244 of even date.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski coaster comprising a frame with a rear portion and a tubular front leg, a seat supported on said rear portion, a rear ski secured to said rear portion, a steering post journaled in said front leg, a front ski joined to the bottom of said steering post, the latter being provided with an upwardly projecting extremity and a tubular extension telescopically receiving said extremity, a handlebar rigid with said extension, and fastening means detachably connecting said extension with said extremity, said extension having a lower end resting on an upper end of said tubular front leg.

2. A ski coaster as defined in claim 1 wherein said steering post is downwardly extractable from said front leg upon detachment of said extension and is reinsertable from above in an inverted position in which said front ski overlies said seat.

3. A ski coaster as defined in claim 1 wherein said extension is provided with a lateral outer nipple having a screw-threaded bore traversing the wall of said extension, said extremity having a transverse opening aligned with said bore, said fastening means including a threaded bolt matingly engaging said nipple and extending into said opening.

4. A ski coaster as defined in claim 3, further comprising a solid insert in said extremity provided with a tapered bore aligned with said opening, said bolt having a tapered shank received in said tapered bore.

5. A ski coaster as defined in claim 4 wherein said bore terminates in a cylindrical recess, said bolt having a cylindrical tip engaging in said recess.

6. A ski coaster as defined in claim 1 wherein said lower end of said extension and said upper end of said front leg are provided with substantially coextensive radial flanges in contact with each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,551,384 8/1925 Goldschmidt 280-16 Gundersen 28016 Hoogendoorn 280-287 Kilmer 280287 Colace 28016 5 LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner.

JOEL E. SIEGEL, Assistant Examiner. 

